With the kindness of Markus Neuner the two Albrechts are back in town after a small Bavarian holiday and have a new firmware inside them. The most perfect thing is the channel / volume swap. This makes the radio much better in one simple press in the menu. Add to this # and * for volume on multi function microphone it’s an excellent addition.
Is It Truly Fixed
The radio in my case appears to forget channel swap and when for example you try to use the clarifier function it also deletes the channel swap from working.
Export Mode The standard one actually works perfectly while the export mode one I can save memories but when I try to recall them with the short press FUNC and then MEM it’s not responding at all. In expanded mode there are 99 memories and much less in multinorm. So in the interim it’s my opinion yes it’s fixed in EU but the jury is still out in export mode.
Clarifier
Yes it shows up when press the button combination but it’s not so great. Channel mode 0 ending frequencies in export mode still not there. Only via VFO mode. Solution is in firmware make it possible to press in the round control and the numbers flash and turn the newly assigned control to 5,4,3,2,1,0 and it’s done. Same as on any CRT, Anytone, President with SSB. So I do not know how it’s not possible as in AT-5000 it can be done I’m lead to believe.
Assign Clarifier To P4
I assigned it on the multi function microphone and it needed 3 hard and full resets until it took and worked on the microphone. Since the reset it works and cannot complain, it’s working.
U.K. In Export Mode
A question that keeps popping up. I’ll answer this only based on AT5000 and that’s in the architecture of the firmware to add it isn’t possible. Maybe it’s space in firmware but it’s not possible. If it’s space then let the radio start 40 channels higher than 24715 and all is well.
Signal Meter & SWR
Albrecht have changed the colours on the display to yellow which is a top idea. Now it’s so much more readable and easier on the eyes it’s way better. Genius move as it was sometimes difficult to read. Now it’s really a nice look. And also I think the FUNC has changed colour also and is much better on the eyes.
Volume behaves better, tones are better if you can take that god awful sound when you press a button. Honestly it’s a massive step forwards and in the right direction. Does it need work yes it does, for a normal from the box not modified and not altered does it need much then in reality it doesn’t. For export or HAM use then yes it needs some assistance and does it need CPS yes it does but only when the memory functions are correct.
What Did Albrecht Tell Me?
They told me via multiple mails when we have any new firmware news we let you know. They didn’t do anything like this so it was Funkbasis and Markus Neuner who kindly let me know things about the update and it could be made available to update my radios.
What’s Next ?
If you don’t need the update as happy then leave it for now. It’s going to cost you €19 a piece and yes some errors are gone, the radio is made much better for sure but you maybe get some new and more odd things that happen in the long run. Albrecht could make another version 10-12m and when it’s unlocked UK can be in export mode as there would be space without EU norms inside. Make it possible in channel mode to drop down to the zero (0) ending frequencies I’ve seen it on the AT5000 so it must be possible here if you ask? Add CPS and it will sell as its small and relatively high power. Soon maybe the President Jack will appear and what will that be like? I know people are waiting and guess there is still a long wait as President say nothing to nobody so when something comes it’s a surprise.
We all need to remember
Radio is a funny boss. What one likes another doesn’t and what another wants another doesn’t. You need juggle features against cost and what benefit to add that all people will like. Albrecht in my opinion have released the best radio they have ever released! Just needs a little more gentle coercion to make it even better or maybe a HAM brother. But it works well with the update and without it. Just needs some slight changes here and there now.
I don’t live in Germany
I understand there is a planned rollout to dealers in the Albrecht network over time for the radios to be updated (not confirmed) so based on this that’s what I think. We’ve mentioned this before but when the importer is 100% silent towards me then I cannot pass things on as I would like. This news was from dealer chat so sadly we need to wait and see.
Summing Up
Is it really much better than before it’s a sure yes they’ve made it much more user friendly and more logical. Are there still errors yes there are. Some old, some new now. Is it right to update it and spend the money? Yes and no due to some new features like signal meter colour change, channel and volume swap make it worth while in a single minute in my case. But memory still being odd for me SO maybe my issue. Sometimes the radio forgets the channel and volume swap and defaults to the volume control again (reset radio multiple times) and for me the channel in HAM or Export mode need SPAN or Push Button frequency drop to make the radio truly user friendly. Cheaper and same price radios have it so why this doesn’t is a mystery. The AT-5000 which we know is sure a relative has it.
Contented yes I am it’s improved my experience 100% across the two radios here. One in export and one in standard mode. Still will need a little fix around firmware I guess on the new stock coming if shares the DNA of this update.
Function rotary switch / volume arrow keys replaceable, so that the rotary knob can be used for channel selection.
– Modulation type is now stored in the channel memory
– CW and PA can be deactivated to switch faster through the modulation types
– when turning the rotary switch faster, the rotary switch is also faster
– Colour of S-meter etc. changed to yellow for better readability
– the operation via the multifunction microphone has been further supplemented
This article was written for sometime but was delayed release as some people were genuinely upset about how the firmware update was implemented. It’s true that if you do not do it then you do not loose out on much. BUT the added features of the update are well worth the wait, the fee and the usability is much better than on initial release firmware.
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